This function has step by step shifted from a December to a November custom, leaving more room for subsequent month’s sprawling end-of-year countdowns. Over the subsequent few weeks, I’ll be taking a look at lots of Okay-pop’s largest businesses and providing my ideas about how their 2022 went. Following SM Leisure and YG Leisure‘s evaluations, it’s time to dive into JYP Leisure.
As regular, the ideas are my very own and aren’t aware of any insider data. The aim of those articles is to find out how properly Okay-pop businesses are serving their artists and followers. Due to the timing of this put up, I’ll be together with the previous few weeks of 2021 as a part of my evaluation. 
The Good
JYP Leisure is dwelling to many standard acts and most of these acts have maintained (or grown) their reputation in 2022 – particularly abroad. Stray Children have grow to be probably the most profitable teams of their era and ITZY have deepened their worldwide attraction. I used to be hesitant in regards to the company debuting two new acts this 12 months, however each NMIXX and Xdinary Heroes appear to have discovered their respective fan bases fairly rapidly.
As regular, the company does a pleasant job selling its acts. Not solely do they obtain frequent comebacks, however JYP typically movies a number of music movies for every album – particularly within the case of Stray Children. This enables for a fuller image of their discography.
Although Twice’s business energy isn’t as sturdy because it was (a pure consequence of being business veterans), the standard of their output hasn’t flagged. Discuss That Discuss was one of many strongest efforts this 12 months and the group has actually settled into a snug groove. I’m undecided many informal followers anticipated each member to increase their contract with the company, however good on JYP for retaining the whole group and breaking the famed “seven-year curse.”
Talking of Twice, 2022 noticed a long-overdue solo debut from Nayeon. I hope this bodes properly for the way forward for different soloists from the company. JYP hasn’t typically leveraged the power of their particular person members. This affords a fantastic likelihood to develop the model.
The Unhealthy
Spoiler alert: JYP Leisure is not going to have a big presence on my upcoming “better of 2022” countdown. That is subjective, however their music high quality has taken a pointy downturn this 12 months.
If I had been to sum up JYP’s 2022 in music, I’d use the phrase “novelty.” It feels as if the company is putting idea earlier than track and hitching their fortunes to gimmicky, meme-worthy songwriting full of foolish sound results and repetitive sing-talky hooks. From ITZY’s Sneakers to NMIXX’s O.O/Cube to Stray Children’ Maniac/Case 143 to Xdinary Heroes’ Glad Loss of life Day/Hair Lower, the company appears extra intent on being intelligent than crafting songs that stand the take a look at of time. It’s a worrying pattern, and much from the company’s peaks of 2018-19.
Increasingly more, this music looks like blatant promoting. It’s as if it’s being cobbled collectively by a boardroom, with no actual soul behind it. It’s chintzy. JYP has lengthy beloved the ability of a repetitive earworm (suppose early Surprise Ladies), however this new iteration of the method lacks heat. And basically, the digital charts appear to agree. ITZY’s Sneakers by some means discovered its means into the highest ten, however aside from that JYP has had a smaller presence than its rivals.
So far as debuts go, NMIXX and Xdinary Heroes exist extra as ideas than precise teams. The “mixxpop” style has confirmed polarizing, whereas Xdinary Heroes’ music hasn’t but come throughout as genuine. Perhaps these acts are simply focusing on a distinct viewers. Regardless of the case, I discover a lot of their music borderline unlistenable. At greatest, these two have some critical rising pains to get by means of.
Talking of debuts, will JYP ever debut the boy group that was shaped on 2021’s competitors present LOUD? The vanity of that sequence was to discover a group who may debut “instantly.” A year-and-a-half later and there appears to be no critical plan to get the ball rolling. It is a damaged promise to followers.
Whereas JYP discovered nice success with NiziU in Japan final 12 months, the group barely launched any materials in 2022. Gross sales are falling and it appears as if their reputation may need already peaked. There’s no cause to imagine they couldn’t see a resurgence in 2023, however the company has been awfully quiet on the NiziU entrance this 12 months.
It looks like JYP Leisure is attempting to do to a lot and specializing in the mistaken features of their artists. To me, their musical output has been the weakest of any of the “massive 4” businesses in 2022, and that’s one thing to be involved about.
What I’d prefer to see in 2023:
- Eliminate the gimmicks and deal with the music. Perhaps let JYP himself take the reigns of some title tracks once more?
- LOUD boy group debut
- Extra solo debuts
Earlier years: 2021 // 2020 // 2019 // 2018 // 2017 // 2016
